Anesthetic management for surgery of children with brain tumors: systematic review

Aim. Based on publications dedicated to anesthetic management for surgery of children with brain neoplasms we aimed to reveal and summarize the specific features of anesthesia of such patients. Materials and Methods. We performed a systematic review and processed the information from Russian and foreign literature published in 2001-2016. The analysis included patients younger than 18 who had undergone surgical procedures due to brain tumor. Results. The conducted analysis allowed us to classify surgical interventions into three main categories (shunt surgery, open surgery, neuroendoscopy) and to determine category-specific features of anesthetic management. The analysis results also made it possible to describe the algorithms of preoperative preparation, recovery stage, and early postoperative period for anesthesiologist. Conclusion. The review has shown that brain tumor surgery is one of the most complicated operations requiring a well-coordinated teamwork. Anesthesiologist has not only to be especially well-trained and skilled, but to cooperate closely with neurosurgeon, which may be even more critical. Psychological, ethical, and professional aspects of such cooperation are a subject of further detailed research.